Electric iron and switch therefor



Nov zo 1934* J. A. cRossLAND Er AL 1,981,309

ELECTRIC IRON AND SWITCH THEREFOR Filed Sept. 27, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1x LI I y m fyi/enfans? y y 4MM MW Nov. 20, 1934. J, A. cRossLAND x-:r ALl 1,981,309`

ELECTRIC IRON AND SWITCH THEREFOR Filed Sept. 27. 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2[nya/Maru M. MQ MM @y mw 1f/0mg' otr/72m.

Patented Nov.v 20', 1934 PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC IRON SWITCH THEREFOB yJohn Arthur Crossland and Ernest Milling Crossland, Strangeways,Manchester, England Application September 27, 1933, Serial No. 691,222

4 Claims.

'Ihis invention relates to electric irons as used for domestic andlaundry purposes, and has for its object to provide an improved iron inwhich there is incorporated a switch, so placed that the grasping of theiron for use automatically completes the circuit of the current to theheating elements, and by which when the iron is released by the user,the current circuit is automatically broken, means also beingprovidedfor retaining the switch in the closed position when desired,

say for initial heating up.

The invention comprises both an improved iron, and also the improvedswitch mechanism for attachment thereto.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings whereinz'- -Y Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation withthe switch held in the closed position;

Fig. 2 is a like view, of the handle part of the iron, but showing theswitch in the open position;

Fig. 3 is a plan of the switch with a' portion of the outer memberbroken away to show the interior contacts;

Fig. 4` is a part sectional end elevation ofthe iron shown in Fig. 1;and Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram.

As shown, thebody of the viron comprises the base member a and theweight member b, between which are the heating elements c and aninsulating cover d of asbestos or the like. Above the weight member b isa further insulating member e, whilst a polished metal or like shroud-fencloses those parts above the base member a. v

The handle of the iron comprises a -U shaped part g of metal, to theouter end parts of which are secured by screws h1 .insulating covers hof syntheticresin or like materlalfwhilst between the extreme ends oi'the .part g is a'tubular handle i of similar insulating material, thehandle being 40 lshouldered down' below each end to overlie the parts gand h, and being held in position thereon by means of a long screw i1lying in the through hole i2 of the handle. The parts h are hollow onthe inner side, so as to provide between themselves and the member g,-conduits for the wires 1. In the upper face of the handle i is a recessk, `to the door of which are secured by screws l11 long spring contactsI, to which the wires d are connected, the contacts being separated atk1 by an upstanding part o! the handle, to prevent a short circuit. andbeing limited in their approach towards each other by a furtherupstanding part k. The con# tacts l are rounded over at their i'reeends.

Pivotallymounted on the walls o! the recess k is a movable switch arm m.the free end o! which (C1. 21a-z5) Y has a contact m1, adapted to passbetween the bent over ends of the contacts l, the part m1 being ofslightly greater Width than the projection k2 so as to separatethe partsl and thereby ensure a close contact between the parts I and m.

Pivotally mounted on the handle i'is a cover or shroud n of insulatingmaterial, which is shaped so as to enclose the switch parts abov'edescribed,

and such cover n has on its inner side va projection n1, to the lowerend of whichv is connected one end of a spring o, thelother end of thespring being connected to the part ml'oi the switch arm m. Thedisposition and size ofthe projection n1 are such that when'the cover nis depressed the end of the spring o which attaches to the part nl isbelow the pivot for the arm m, whereby the spring exerts itself to pullthe part m into contact with the parts l, and when the .cover nisreleased the lower end of the projection nl'is raised above the pivotfor the arm m, whereby the same spring operates to pull the contact m1away from contacts l. By arranging the pivot nl for the cover 11 v ybelow the level ot the spring o, the spring always tends to lift thecover about its pivot, and break the current circuit. A further springo1 serves 30 also to hold the cover n normallyin the raised v position,in which position the arm-m contacts Awith the inner face of the cover nand is thereby limited in its upward movements.

' In the outer end ofthe cover n is provided a 35 plunger p having asteppedend p1, and in the adjacent end 4of the handle i isa'double-shoul dered notch into which the part p1 projects. Normally thepart p1 abuts against the outer shoulder of the notch and limits theupward movements of thevcover n (see Fig. 2) When, however, the cover nis'depressed the plunger p can be pushed in until the part p1 enters thelower notch, (see Fig. 1) so that on releasing the cover with theplunger in that position, the cover is held in the 95 down or "switchclosed position, This is convenient when it ris desired to heat the ironinitially ready for use. A spring is provided behind the plunger p,normally tending to move the plunger to the outward position so thatwhen the desired 10 temperature has vbeen reached the mere grasping ofthe handle of the iron, which results in a depression of the part n,allows the spring to exert itself and push the plunger outwards, so thaton again releasing the handle the switch .rises and the circuit isbroken.

In use, every time the handle is grasped for use, the current to theheating elements is completed, and when the handle isreleased thecircuit is min broken. 'rms avoids um waste of cunent 1,1@

struction, the inner `metal parts y` being a rein,

forcement tothe outerb insulating parts h and z', and, the metal part g,being connected by screws to the weightV and base part of the iron,serves to take the pull and thrust. The parts h of Athe insulatingmaterial will usually be highly polished so, as to give a goodappearance to the iron. The current is supplied to the iron from theusual plug ttings via the pins q.

What we claim is: Y

1. In an electric iron, a switch handle operated by the normal graspingand releasing thereof,

` comprising a body part of insulating material with a long recess inthe upper face, two xed contacts secured in the recess and in serieswith the heating element of the iron, a pivoted contact mounted in thesaid recess and adapted in one "position to bridge the saidxed contacts,a pivoted cover overlying the whole of the body part, a spring normallytending to lift the cover about its pivot, and a further springconnecting the ycover to the pivoted contact, the points of connectionof thel further spring being such that the pivoted contact is pulledinto andout of engagement with the'xed contacts as the cover isdepressed and raised respectively.

2. An electric Yiron with an automatic switch handle as claimed in claim1, wherein the ixed contacts comprise long strips of spring metal foldedback at one end, a-bent-over flange on the folded back portion, to bescrewed to the floor of the recess, and a contact block on the otherend, and wherein the pivoted contact comprises a.v U-shaped memberhaving its bridge part at right angles to the arms, the arms at theirends being pivoted to the side walls of the recess.

3. In anelectric iron, a switch-handle having xed and movable partsoperated by the normal grasping and releasing of the iron to close andopen the current circuit, a sliding spring-pressed plunger in one ofsaid parts, and a double-shouldered notch in the other part, theyplunger and one notch holding the switch in the closed position and theplunger and the other notch limiting the relative movement of the partsin the open position.

4. An electric iron comprising a base, a weight, resistance heatingelements and an enclosing shield therefor, and a U-shaped frame of atmetal to carry a handle, screws clamping all said parts together, ahandle of insulating material with a large diameter through holeandstepped atA eachvend to rest yon upstanding ends of the metal frame,the stepped part being in line with the upper wall of said hole, a longscrew passing through the through hole in the hollow handle to secure itto the metal frame, and hollow facings on the outer sides of the' metalframe to form conduits for the conducting wires between the heatingelements and the switch, such facings also concealing the said screw andthrough hole, and having enlarged side walls at the lower end extendinginwardly beyond the metal frame.

JOHN ARTHUR-CROSSLAND. ERNEST MILLING CROSSLAND.v

